*Dark Alley*

A brown unicorn was carrying a basket of fruits down a dark alley. As he kept going, he is stopped by a cloaked figure.

"Very sorry. You came out of nowhere." The unicorn said.

"Is he friend or is he foe, the pony wondered." The cloaked figure spoke. The unicorn started to feel uneased.

"I can assure you. I am no "friend". I am Lord Tirek. And I will take what should have been mine long ago." With that, Tirek started to absorb the unicorn's magic. As the unicorn's magic was drained, his Cutie Mark vanished, and Tirek started to grow. Tirek began laughing maniacally.

[Celestia's Chambers]

Princess Celestia awakened from her nightmare. Princess Luna charged right in.

"Sister, what's wrong?" Luna asked.

"I've just had the most terrible dream." Celestia said.

"Why do you think I'm here? You know as well as I that this was not a dream, but a vision."

"Then we haven't much time." Celestia said. "The stronger he becomes, the more we are all in danger."

*Story*

"Tirek and his brother Scorpan came here from a distant land, intent on stealing Equestrian magic. But Scorpan soon came to appreciate the ways of Equestria, even befriending a young unicorn wizard." Celestia said.

"Scorpan urged his brother to abandon their plans. When Tirek refused, Scorpan alerted us to Tirek's intentions." Luna said.

"Scorpan returned to his own land, and Tirek was sent to Tartarus for his crimes."

*End Story*

"But it appears he has found a way to escape." Celestia finished.

"We believe it happened when Cerberus left his post at the gates." Luna theorized.

"But that was a long time ago." Twilight argued. "Why is he just now starting to steal magic?"

"His time in Tartarus left him very weak. He has just now gained enough strength to use his dark powers." Celestia explained.

"But with each passing moment, he grows stronger still." Luna added.

"And I know just the Princess who could stop him." Cadance said, referring to Twilight.

"Yes. I'll find him and - -"

"No, Twilight, I'm afraid I must call on another to stop Tirek. Discord." Celestia said.

"Say what?!" Twilight shouted.

"Discord might prove to be a valuable asset in stopping Tirek. But, there is still the possibility that Discord might not be powerful enough to defeat Tirek." Luna added.

"So, in that case, me and my friends can - -"

"No. You and your friends might also not be powerful enough. That's why I'm going to call our ally Hiro to help us in this crisis." Celestia added.

"Is that a wise idea?" Luna asked.

"Yes. I believe Hiro's Dragon God form will be powerful enough to defeat Tirek. His power helped us before and I'm sure he'll be more than willing to assist."

"I see. In that case, we must contact him immediately." Luna said. Celestia's and Luna's horns started to glow.

[Littlest Pet Shop Day Camp]

Hiro, Pepper, and Shala were sitting in the Day Camp, bored out of their minds.

"I've probably said this a million times, but I'm soooo bored!" Hiro complained.

"I don't blame you for saying that. All of our pet friends are spending the day with their owners or something." Pepper said.

"On top of that, Blythe's hangin' out with her friends." Shala added.

"I guess the only thing we can do is wait if something happens." Pepper said. All 3 of their eyes showed a mist (Hiro's is blue, Shala's is white, and Pepper's is gray) in their eyes, as if they have Awakened.

"Hiro… we need your help." A familiar voice (to Hiro and Pepper) said in their heads.

"Did anyone else hear that?" Shala asked her friends.

"I did. And it sounds so familiar." Hiro said.

"Agreed." Pepper added.

"Hiro, please. We need the help of you and our friends. A crisis is about to befall Equestria." The voice said.

"Equestria is in danger? For real?" Hiro asked.

"Yes. And your power should be strong enough to overcome this." The voice said.

"If you need our power, we'll be more than willing to help." Pepper said.

"And the same goes for me!" Shala said. With that, the three were enveloped in a bright light and were transported.

Across the dimensions, there are eight humans have consumed Light Spheres. These humans wield the power to either protect, or destroy the planet they live in...

*Pokemon: XY&Z*

*Episode Title: Twilight's Kingdom Arc - Lord Tirek Makes His Move, Protect us, Bearers!*

[Ponyville]

"As in Discord, Discord?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"Yes." Twilight replied.

"I don't think it's that big of a surprise." Fluttershy said. "He can be very helpful." Everypony else shot a disapproving look at Fluttershy.

"He can sense when there's a magical imbalance. The next time Tirek steals magic, Discord will be able to track him down."

"So what are you supposed to do in the meantime?" Rainbow asked.

"Nothing." Twilight sighed. "Unless of course one of you needs me to smile and wave." Twilight started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Spike asked.

"To the Castle of the Two Sisters. I'm not really needed anywhere else." Twilight said. "Might as well catch up on some of my reading."

"You want some company?" Rainbow asked. Her friends followed Twilight to the Everfree Forest.

"It has been a while since we've visited the castle. Might be fun." Applejack said.

"Maybe I could use a little company right now." Twilight said.

[Everfree Forest]

The gang were approaching the castle.

"Still can't believe we had to give back the Elements." Rainbow commented.

"It had to be done or the Tree of Harmony wouldn't have survived." Rarity reminded Rainbow.

"But Twilight was right. Even without the Elements, our friendship is as strong as ever." Fluttershy said.

"I just hope another "friend" of ours never makes us sorry we had to give them up." Applejack said.

"Oh, ho! You're talking about me, I presume." Discord asked. He was falling down with an umbrella in hand. He was also wearing a pink scarf and carrying a bag.

"How'd you guess?" Applejack asked.

"My ears were burning." Discord replied. His ears were literally on fire. He doused himself with water.

"What are you even doing here, Discord?" Rainbow demanded.

"Just a bit of light reading before I head off on my extremely important mission." Discord said. He was now dressed as a military commander. "I suppose you all know that I've been tapped to capture a certain escapee."

"Big deal." Spike said.

"You're right, Spike, it is a "big deal"." Discord said. He enveloped Spike in a bubble. The bubble popped, causing Spike to fall into the hands of Rainbow Dash.

"Seems I possess a magic that gives me quite an important role n Equestria. Maybe they should make me an Alicorn Princess." Discord transformed himself into an Alicorn with a giant crown.

"In your dreams." Dash said. She kicked the crown off of Discord's head.

"Oh, I never dream of such things." Discord then returned to normal. "Ask Princess Luna."

"Don't you have a creepy magic-stealing villain to track down?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, yes, yes, of course." Discord grabbed everyone and teleported to the Tree of Harmony. "It's just that I couldn't help but notice that Twilight hasn't yet opened this little chest of hers. It got me thinking. What if what's locked inside is something that could help her prove her royal worth. I only bring it up because she said that she'd been feeling like her role as a princess doesn't equate to much."

"Wait a minute! How do you know how she was feeling?" Pinkie asked.

"Oh, my. Is eavesdropping not the way you're supposed to find out what your best pals are up to?" Discord asked. "Woe is me. Will I ever learn the intricate nuances of being a good friend?" The others just stared at him.

"Ahem! Well, in any case, I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to make my exit." Discord got on Blythe's scooter. He then disappeared in a flash.

"And good riddance!" Applejack said. Discord appeared behind the gang.

"Oopsey doopsey, I almost left with the little journal you've all been keeping. What a fascinating read. Haven't you girls just learned so much?" Discord was flipping through various pages. "I've bookmarked a few of the more interesting passages. You really should take a look." He managed to balance the journal on Twilight's horn.

"We're still on for tea later aren't we, Fluttershy?" Discord asked.

"I wouldn't miss it." Fluttershy said.

"I'll bring the cucumber sandwiches." Discord went into a door and vanished.

"Sometimes I think the "reformed" Discord is more obnoxious than the "before he was reformed" Discord." Applejack commented. Discord then appeared again.

"Now what do you want?" Rainbow asked.

"Terribly sorry. I left without asking the whereabouts of this Hiro fellow that was supposed to be here." Discord said.

"Hiro's not here yet." Twilight replied.

"Oh, I do so hope he arrives soon. I'd like to meet the fellow."

"You're saying that as if he's gonna fall from the sky or something." Applejack said. Suddenly, Pinkie's tail started twitching.

"I beg to differ." Pinkie said. Everyone moved out of the way just in time when something crashed to the ground. Through the smoke, Hiro, Pepper, and Shala emerged.

"Oh, speak of the devil!" Discord commented.

"Ugh... rough landing..." Hiro groaned as the smoke faded.

"Everyone alright?" Pepper asked.

"Yep." Hiro and Shala replied. Discord appeared in front of the trio.

"It's so nice that you could make an outstanding entrance." Discord commented. The trio moved back a bit.

"Who or what are you?!" Hiro demanded.

"I am Discord, the spirit of chaos. And you must be the little kid that Celestia called. Though, you don't look like much."

"Oh, yeah?" A blue aura overtook Hiro. Fluttershy came up between the two.

"Wait! Discord's not bad. He's our friend!" Fluttershy said.

"Fluttershy? That guy's your friend?" Pepper asked.

"Yup."

"I see." Hiro's aura faded. "Sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Hiro. Nice to meet you, Discord." Hiro offered a handshake. Discord accepted it.

"A pleasure. I hear you'll help defeat a little escapee, am I right?"

"Correct."

"Well, I will see for myself if you're strong enough." With that, Discord vanished.

"Well, that was weird. Anyway, it's been a while, guys!" Hiro said to the ponies.

"It sure has! It's been like, a forever and a half!" Pinkie exclaimed. Rarity came up to the trio.

"I just so adore your new wardrobes. Especially Hiro's. So much more casual that a fighting garment." Rarity commented.

"Um, thanks... I guess." Hiro said.

"Who's the new girl?" Rainbow asked.

"Girls, this is Shala. We met her back in my world a few months ago. Since then, we've become close friends!" Pepper said.

"Wow, she seems like a nice girl." Fluttershy complimented.

"She sure is. Ain't never a dull moment with Shala around!" Hiro said.

"Aw, stop it guys, I'm blushing!" Shala said. Indeed, she was starting to blush.

"Anyway, we need some info about whatever it is we're facing and what we can do to stop it." Hiro said.

"Why not come with us to the Castle of the Two sisters? We might find some info there." Twilight suggested.

"Considering we know next to crap about what we're facing, that's not a bad idea." Pepper said.

"Sounds good. Lead the way." Hiro said.

[Castle of the Two Sisters]

Everyone was checking various books for information about the chest and Tirek.

"Anything?" Twilight asked.

"No." Just about everyone replied.

"There must be something in this library that can help me figure out how to open the chest. The answer is in one of these books. I just know it." Twilight said in determination.

"That's doubtful. Maybe you should dig deeper. Try to think out of the box." Shala suggested. Twilight turned to the journal and looked over some of the pages.

[Meanwhile...]

Tirek absorbed magic from another unicorn. When he was done, he saw another unicorn. As Tirek approached, the pony turned out to be Discord,

"Tirek, I presume." Discord asked.

"Discord? You're free?" Tirek asked as if he knew him.

"As a bird." Discord said. He transformed into a literal bird.

"I commend you on your escape." Tirek complimented. Discord changed to normal.

"I'm afraid the feeling isn't mutual." With that, Discord snapped his eagle talons and chained up Tirek's arms. Tirek tried to hit Discord with a magic beam, but Discord split his head up and evaded the attack.

"I should have know you would want to have Equestria all to yourself." Tirek said. Discord now was wearing a police uniform equipped with a baton.

"Oh, I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for my friends." Discord admitted. "Just between the two of us, it's mostly for Fluttershy." Discord whispered.

"Fluttershy? You're not saying you're friends with... ponies!" Tirek said in shock.

"Surprise!" Discord shouting, jumping out of a cake.

"I am surprised that someone with your intellect does not see this "friendship" is but a new form of imprisonment. Clearly you've had to abandon your true nature to stay in their good graces." Tirek said. Discord, with a halo on top, was playing a harp when he heard that.

"I have done nothing of the sort." Discord argued.

"Please, I've seen this before. But he was always weak-minded. You are Discord. You are legend. You cannot fall into the same trap that claimed my brother. Help me to grow strong and be rewarded with something far greater than friendship... freedom. Once I have stripped these ponies of their magic, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see their world turned upside down. Who better to do so than the master of chaos himself." Discord pondered that for a moment.

"Join me, Discord, and reclaim your greatness. Unless, of course, "pony errand boy" is the role you've always wanted to play in this world." Tirek added. Discord took that into deep thought.

[Back at the Castle]

Twilight was still looking at pages from the journal.

"I think I've found something!" Twilight said.

"Really? What is it?" Hiro asked.

"I've been reading our journal and there's something interesting about the sections that Discord bookmarked. Applejack, do you remember when you had to tell everypony that the tonic Granny bought from the Flim-Flam brothers didn't really work?"

"How could I forget? It was one of the hardest thing I ever had to do." Applejack replied. She had a flashback of the confession. "But in that moment, I knew I had to be honest. I just knew it. But what that's got to do with opening the chest?"

"I've found that each of you has had to face a situation where living up to the Element of Harmony you represent wasn't easy. Fluttershy, it was when you realized that the way to show kindness to the Breezies was by forcing them to leave your home."

"The looks on their poor, little faces..." Fluttershy said as she recalled that memory. "But I knew that as difficult as it was, pushing them away was the kindest thing I could do."

"Yeah, as much as I don't wanna ruin your reminiscence, but we still don't know if that Discord fellow captured... whoever we're supposed to beat. So, can you get to the point?" Shala asked impatiently. Twilight groaned at that.

"All of you had tough choices to make, but when you made the right one and embraced your Element, it helped somepony else make the right choice too. Each of you received something from the pony whose life you helped change." In another flashback, Applejack got a Bit, Fluttershy got a flower, Rarity got a rainbow thread, Rainbow got a badge, and Pinkie got a rubber chicken, all of which briefly glowed a rainbow color.

"So, what you're saying is, those items might be the key to opening that chest?" Hiro theorized.

"I hate to admit it, but maybe Discord was trying to be a good friend after all."

"Well, let's see if there is one! Let's check the Tree!" Shala shouted.

"Right!" Everyone else said.

[Tree of Harmony]

All of the items Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash received were placed on the ground.

"I don't see anything on them that would give us a clue as to where the keys might be. They're just ordinary, everyday objects.' Twilight said.

"Come on, Boneless! Give us that key!" Pinkie demanded.

"Pinkie, you're interrogating a rubber chicken! It would know nothing!" Pepper shouted. As Pinkie was shaking Boneless, she accidentally threw it. Pepper ducked out of the way and it hit the chest, where it started to glow. Boneless transformed into a golden key. The key entered one of the locks of the chest.

"Well, what do you know? The objects we're the keys!" Shala exclaimed. The others put their objects on top of the chest and they all transformed into keys as well.

"There's still one key missing. The key that represents the Element of Magic. My Element."

"Oh, but I'm sure that if we've gotten our keys, you have too, Twilight." Fluttershy said.

"Think, Twilight! When have you completed a difficult magical task and in doing s encouraged another pony to do the same?" Rarity asked.

"I haven't. If I had, I would have written about it in the Journal." Twilight stated.

"Problem solved. You find a difficult magical task, help a pony out, and bam. You got your key." Shala said. At that moment, Spike burped up a letter. Twilight took the letter and read it.

"What's it say?" Spike asked.

"That I'm needed in Canterlot at once." Twilight said.

"Oh, this can't be good at all..." Hiro grimanced.

[Canterlot]

Twilight quickly flew over to Canterlot. She then ran inside the palace.

"I came as quickly as I could. Is something wrong?" Twilight asked. "Is it Tirek?"

"I am afraid I put too much trust in Discord and the effect that friendship would have upon him." Celestia explained.

[Random Theater]

At a play, as the curtains pulled back it revealed Discord, much to everypony's confusion or disgust.

"Discord has betrayed the ponies of Equestria and joined forces with Tirek." While this was being said, Discord put a black hat on the stage. When he tapped it, Tirek emerged and he removed his cloak. This shocked everypony present. All of the ponies' magic was absorbed by Tirek and he grew in size.

[Meanwhile]

Hiro, Pepper, and Shala were walking together down a random street. The three wanted to see around Ponyville, especially Hiro and Pepper since they didn't get a chance. While they were walking, Shala clenched her stomach and fell on her knees.

"Shala, what's wrong? You look like you have a stomachache." Pepper said.

"I feel it... I feel magic from lots of ponies vanishing..." Shala responded.

"What?!" Hiro and Pepper responded.

"That's impossible! Discord shoulda captured that Tirek. Unless..."

"He turned full-blown traitor! How could he do that?!" Hiro shouted in fury.

[Back at Canterlot]

"How could he do this?" Twilight asked in shock. "I thought our friendship meant something to him. I thought he had changed."

"Tirek has stolen enough magic that he now has the strength to steal flight as well." Celestia added.

[With Tirek]

Tirek stopped a Pegasus battalion led by the Wonderbolts and stripped them of their flight.

"Without Pegasi to control the weather, there will be no rain in Equestria. There is word he has gone after earth pony as well."

[In Appleloosa]

Earth ponies, along with Braeburn, were running for dear life. There were captured in a lasso by Discord. From a saloon, Tirek came out and stole the Earth Ponies' power.

"Without their strength, they will not be able to tend the land."

[Back at Canterlot]

"Ponies will no longer be in control of their world. That power will belong solely to Tirek." Luna said.

"There is no doubt that Tirek is after alicorn magic. With Discord by his side, we will not be able to stop him from taking it." Celestia said.

"Once it is in his possession, his power will know no bounds and all hope will be lost." Luna said gravely.

"We don't even know if the human boy Hiro and his Dragon God powers will be enough to stop him." Celestia added.

[With Hiro, Pepper, and Shala]

"Shala, will you be okay?" Pepper asked her friend.

"I'll be fine, but it's the ponies I'm worried about..." Shala said. Hiro clenched his fists at that.

'I can't believe that two-timing bastard! I put my trust in him and he threw it out like yesterday's trash!' Hiro ranted on in his heads. For a brief few seconds, Hiro started to Awaken, but he shook it off.

"Hiro? You okay, dude?" Pepper asked.

"I'm fine. But Discord, he's gonna pay for going traitor on us!" Hiro shouted. He, along with Pepper and Shala, transformed into Dragon Ascendant form and took off.

"Discord! Your a dead man! I can't believe you betrayed us! Now, I'll make sure you receive judgment for your crimes!" For about 15 seconds, Hiro was Awakened before it wore off.

[Back at Canterlot]

"But there is one solution." Celestia said. She, Luna, and Cadance flew towards Twilight. "It is by making this sacrifice that Equestria and the lands beyond it might be saved. We must rid ourselves of our magic before Tirek has the chance to steal it from us." Celestia said, causing Twilight to gasp.

*CARDFIGHT! Vanguard -Fighting Growing Diary*

Discord betrayed everyone in Equestria and aided Tirek in stealing magic across Equestria. Having no choice, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance entrusted their magic to Twilight. Meanwhile, a fight between Hiro and Tirek is about to commence. And an abnormal transformation starts to affect Hiro, causing Pepper to swing into action.

Next time: Twilight's Kingdom Arc: Tirek Strikes! The Dark Dragon Descends!